pasadena
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Pasadena: Rustic Italian from Trattoria Neapolis
Oct 03 2012
Trattoria Neapolis, Pasadena’s new Italian restaurant, has just made my list of favorites in the South Lake District (this esteemed list also includes Cham Bistro and Pie ‘n Burger in case you were wondering). There are plenty of reasons to love this restaurant. For one, the ambiance is fantastic with high ceilings and natural lighting on the patio. Two, they have a wood burning oven. And, three, they make everything from scratch, from bread to salumi.
They also have an impressive drink program, full of American and Italian classics. Prosecco cocktails abound and the wine list is extensive. If you’re a beer drinker like me, they even have an in-house beer sommelier to help you choose from local and Italian brews. Pictured here is The Doctor, a smooth and smokey mix of rye and Italian bitters.
I’m such a sucker for those giant ice cubes.
Antipasti options include hand-crafted cured meats, Sicilian meatballs and wood-grilled octopus. We went for the Arancini with lobster and pickled fennel. The crunch was perfect, but the flavor wasn’t as intense as it could have been, causing the lemon aioli to be the peak of the dish. This is often the case with arancini, but I did appreciate its creamy texture and the sizable chunks of lobster.
Save the Date: Eat My Blog 4.0 in Pasadena
Nov 30 2011
Last year I participated in Eat My Blog and had a great time-I even made some Peppermint “Faux-reos”. This year, I’m even more excited because the charity event will be held in at Pita Jungle in Pasadena.
As always, the “blogger-hosted bake sale” will raise money for the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. Since 2009, Eat My Blog has raised over $12,000.
This year, 50 local bloggers and restaurants will be participating, including eastside favorites Xoia, who will be dishing up Coconut Milk Tres Leches Cakes, and Good Girl Dinette. Some of my favorite blogs will also be baking: Dishing Up Delights, Fashion Intel, Diana Takes a Bite and Gastronomy Blog among others. Me? Well, I’ll be making some baklava-I’m doing a test run this weekend and will post some pics next week.
I hope to see you there. And in the meantime, check out the official Eat My Blog website and photos from last year’s even below.
[cincopa AwLAGaaUH4EX]
-Valentina
No Lettuce, No Tomatoes:An Italian Sandwich from Pasadena’s Roma Market
Mar 23 2011
“Do you do sandwiches?”
“What, you never had my sandwich?” said the older man with an Italian accent behind the counter.
“No,” Josh replied.
“Hey, get over here!” the man yelled to a guy looking at bottles of olive oil. “This guy’s never had my sandwich.”
“Oh,” said the olive oil guy, “he makes a good sandwich. No lettuce or tomatoes or anything, but he makes a good sandwich.”
“Trust me,” the Italian man said. “I’ll make you a good sandwich.”
So we did, and he did. The man’s name is Rosario, and he’s been behind the deli counter at Roma Market since 1955, the year his family moved to Pasadena from Sicily. The market, itself, is small strip mall affair, filled to the brim with fresh produce and a substantial array of imported Italian goods. The deli counter is tucked away and tiny, but it’s big enough to fit Rosario’s stool and a satisfying selection cheeses and meats.
McVities Digestives: Weird Name. Spectacular Cookies.
Oct 14 2010
When my mom went on a UK trip recently, the one thing I begged her to bring me back was McVities Digestives. I’m not usually one for packaged cookies, but these break the mold. Because they’re made with wholemeal, the texture is grainy in a thick graham cracker sort of way, and the subtle sweetness (also reminiscent of graham) is accented perfectly by a thin layer of smooth milk chocolate on the bottom—or dark chocolate if you’re so inclined. I swear, I could eat the whole package in a day, but we’ve been rationing them to make them last longer.
I fell in love with this perfect little cookie the first time I went to London, and they’re a must every time I visit. Sure, you can get them at most of the British stores like The Tudor House in Santa Monica, and I’ve even seen them at Lucky Baldwin’s in Pasadena. But, I don’t know, I prefer to pretend that you can’t.
I want them to remain illusive little cookies you have to fly 12 hours to get.
-Valentina
Pasadena: Elements Kitchen is Bold & Balanced
Sep 27 2010
Elements Kitchen just became one of my new favorite restaurants. For one thing, it’s very accessible—we took the train and walked just a few blocks to its location, right next to the Pasadena Playhouse—and for another, it’s not a snooze. And that’s saying a lot, considering much of the fine dining in Pasadena plays it too conservatively.
I liked Elements from the moment we walked in. The service was friendly, the crowd very mixed, the music (mostly) good, and the décor leafy. Plus, I like the confidence that an open kitchen exudes, and this one, helmed by Owner/Chef Onil Chibás, really lights up the dining room.
Constructed by Michel Dozois of Névé Ice, the cocktail menu features 4 main themes: Berry, Rhubarb, Citrus and Spirit. I chose the French Maid, a none-too-sweet mixture of brandy, lime juice, cucumbers, simple syrup and mint. Josh got the refreshing Blueberry Southside Fizz with gin, lime juice, soda mint and blueberries.
LA Street Food Fest: Oh, the Gluttony
Jul 25 2010
Last time I went to the LA Street Food Fest, I didn’t even get in. This time, it was more organized, and I actually ate some food. The lines were pretty long, but spirits were high on the Rose Bowl field, and I was able to try some great stuff.
Here’s the rundown:
First up was Boyle Heights’ Antojitos Carmen, formerly a popular Breed St. vendor and now a brick and mortar presence on Cesar Chavez Ave (map it). Well worth the wait, they were serving up potato tacos and enchiladas. The tacos dorados, filled with a mixture of potatoes and cheese, were the highlight. I couldn’t help but flood the plate with the delicious salsas.
Downtown Dogs’ hotdogs remind me of Chronis‘ on Whittier Blvd. Maybe it’s the snap that happens when you take a bite. Whatever it is, it’s a good dog, and tater tots are always an easy sell. I wanted to try the Dogzilla stand as well since their doing their version of Japa Dogs, but the line was excruciating.
